Openfda MCP Server

What you can do with it

We have not written a plain-language summary for this one yet. Below are the facts we read from the registry.

• Connection: Computer or cloud
• Transport: stdio, Streamable HTTP
• Category: Other

Install

Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.

You need

• Runs in the cloudNothing to install; it connects over the internet
• npmNode.js installed (for the npx command)

Which app do you use?

https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openfda": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OPENFDA_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_PATH": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_CRON": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_FALLBACK_LIVE": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_TIMEOUT_MS": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

claude mcp add --transport http openfda https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp

claude mcp add openfda --env OPENFDA_API_KEY=your-value --env CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE=your-value --env OPENFDA_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED=your-value --env OPENFDA_MIRROR_ENABLED=your-value --env OPENFDA_MIRROR_PATH=your-value --env OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_CRON=your-value --env OPENFDA_MIRROR_FALLBACK_LIVE=your-value --env OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_TIMEOUT_MS=your-value --env OPENFDA_MIRROR_BASE_URL=your-value --env MCP_LOG_LEVEL=your-value -- npx -y @cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openfda": {
      "url": "https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "openfda": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OPENFDA_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_PATH": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_CRON": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_FALLBACK_LIVE": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_TIMEOUT_MS": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

{
  "servers": {
    "openfda": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp"
    }
  }
}

{
  "servers": {
    "openfda": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/openfda-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "OPENFDA_API_KEY": "your-value",
        "CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_ENABLED": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_PATH": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_CRON": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_FALLBACK_LIVE": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_TIMEOUT_MS": "your-value",
        "OPENFDA_MIRROR_BASE_URL": "your-value",
        "MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "your-value"
      }
    }
  }
}

https://openfda.caseyjhand.com/mcp

Your choice stays on this device in a cookie; no account needed.

Values you fill in

• OPENFDA_API_KEY env
  Free API key from open.fda.gov — increases daily limit from 1K to 120K requests.
• CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE env
  DataCanvas staging, on by default: stage=true or a canvas_id on an openfda_search_* tool or openfda_lookup_ndc stages the matched records as a SQL table for the openfda_dataframe_* tools. The DuckDB…
• OPENFDA_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED env
  Enable openfda_dataframe_drop, which deletes a table staged on a DataCanvas. Off by default; applies only when DataCanvas is enabled (CANVAS_PROVIDER_TYPE=duckdb).
• OPENFDA_MIRROR_ENABLED env
  Serve exact-key lookups for drug/label, drug/ndc, drug/enforcement, and drug/drugsfda from a local bulk mirror instead of the API. Off by default; the initial harvest runs out-of-band via the mirror:…
• OPENFDA_MIRROR_PATH env
  Directory holding one SQLite file per mirrored dataset.
• OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_CRON env
  Cron expression for the in-process mirror refresh. HTTP transport only; stdio operators run mirror:refresh from the host. Requires the optional node-cron peer dependency.
• OPENFDA_MIRROR_FALLBACK_LIVE env
  Fall back to the live API when the mirror is cold, missing the record, or failing. Disable to fail loudly instead.
• OPENFDA_MIRROR_REFRESH_TIMEOUT_MS env
  Wall-clock budget for one scheduled refresh before it is aborted. Raise it for drug/label, the only multi-partition dataset.
• OPENFDA_MIRROR_BASE_URL env
  Host serving the openFDA bulk download manifest. Override only to harvest from a private mirror of the dumps.
• MCP_LOG_LEVEL env
  Sets the minimum log level for output (e.g., 'debug', 'info', 'warn').

These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.

What it can do

Tool names and descriptions exactly as the server reported them on Nov 7, 2026. The maker wrote them, not us; we show them as plain text.

• openfda_search_adverse_events

  Search adverse event reports across drugs, food, and devices. Use to investigate safety signals, find reports for a specific product, or explore reactions by demographics. With stage=true, call openfda_dataframe_describe for the staged columns, then openfda_dataframe_query for SQ

• openfda_search_animal_events

  Search adverse event reports for veterinary drugs and devices submitted to the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine. Records include animal species, breed, age, weight, drug name and route, adverse reactions (using VeDDRA terminology), and outcome. Use to investigate safety signals

• openfda_search_drug_shortages

  Search FDA drug shortage records. Returns per-product shortage status, availability, therapeutic category, dosage form, manufacturer, and dates. Use to check whether a drug is currently in shortage, find all oncology drugs with supply issues, or retrieve the openfda block (brand_

• openfda_search_recalls

  Search enforcement reports and recall actions across drugs, food, and devices. With stage=true, call openfda_dataframe_describe for the staged columns, then openfda_dataframe_query for SQL.

• openfda_search_tobacco_reports

  Search problem reports submitted to the FDA for tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, vaping products, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco. Reports capture product type, reported health problems (e.g. seizure, chest pain), product problems (e.g. exploding battery), whether a no

• openfda_count_values

  Aggregate and tally unique values for any field across any openFDA endpoint. Returns ranked term-count pairs sorted by count descending; a date field tallies one term per distinct YYYYMMDD date, ranked the same way. Pair with openfda_search_adverse_events, openfda_search_drug_app

• openfda_describe_fields

  Return the searchable field paths for an openFDA endpoint, grouped by category with type and description. Use before constructing a search query to find the correct dotted field path — field names differ per endpoint and are not discoverable from the tool schema alone.

• openfda_get_drug_label

  Look up FDA drug labeling (package inserts / SPL documents). Check indications, warnings, dosage, contraindications, active ingredients, or any structured label section. A label runs to tens of thousands of tokens, so a page that exceeds the inline budget returns the list of avai

• openfda_search_drug_approvals

  Search the Drugs@FDA database for drug application approvals (NDAs and ANDAs). Returns application details, sponsor info, and full submission history. Pair with openfda_get_drug_label to read the approved label, or openfda_count_values to aggregate by sponsor_name, product_type,

• openfda_search_device_clearances

  Search FDA device premarket notifications — 510(k) clearances and PMA approvals. With stage=true, call openfda_dataframe_describe for the staged columns, then openfda_dataframe_query for SQL.

• openfda_lookup_ndc

  Look up drugs in the NDC (National Drug Code) Directory. Identify drug products by NDC code, find active ingredients, packaging details, or manufacturer info. Pair with openfda_get_drug_label using the returned brand_name or set_id to read the package insert. With stage=true, cal

• openfda_drug_profile

  Resolve one drug name to its FDA identity, then fan out in parallel across the bounded per-drug openFDA endpoints and merge into one profile: identity, label highlights, adverse-event summary, recall history, Drugs@FDA approval, and shortage status. Replaces chaining openfda_get_

• openfda_dataframe_describe

  List the tables and column schemas on a DataCanvas staged by an openFDA search tool. Call before openfda_dataframe_query to discover the exact table name, column names, and DuckDB types needed for valid SQL. row_count is the full staged result set, not the inline preview count. C

• openfda_dataframe_query

  Run a read-only SQL SELECT against a DataCanvas table staged by an openFDA search tool (call one with stage=true; its response carries canvas_id + canvas_table). Enables GROUP BY, COUNT/SUM/AVG, time-series, and joins across the staged result set without re-paging the API. Call o

Basic checksi

We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 7, 2026

• ✓ Pass

  Maker matches the repo

  The registry name was verified with the GitHub account cyanheads, which owns the repo

• … Not checked yet

  Still maintained

  We have not read this repo from GitHub yet

• … Not checked yet

  Has a licence

  We have not read this repo from GitHub yet

• ✓ Pass

  Endpoint responds

  Responded in 443 ms (HTTP 200)

• – Not applicable

  Sign-in with OAuth

  No sign-in needed

• ✓ Pass

  No hidden instructions in tool descriptions

  Read 14 tool descriptions and found no hidden instructions to the AI

Compared with others in Otheri

• More stars than 0% of the other 32696 servers in this category
• Published to the registry more recently than 75% of the other 32696 servers in this category
• Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 32696 servers in this category

Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.

Alternatives

Servers in the same category from other makers, sorted by stars.

Reading a card:★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi

README from the maker